A Norwegian citizen has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, a report says

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Norwegian citizen has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, Norwegian news agency NTB reported Tuesday, citing the Scandinavian country’s domestic intelligence service.

The person, whose identity was not known, was arrested on Monday, according to the NTB report, which is based on information from the Norwegian Secret Service, known by its Norwegian acronym PST.

The suspect, who will face a court hearing in Oslo later on Tuesday, is suspected of carrying out serious intelligence activities related to state secrets, NTB said. PST was not immediately available for comment.

The Norwegian domestic intelligence service stated in its annual threat assessment that China “will pose a significant threat to intelligence in 2024.”

“This is particularly due to the deterioration of relations between China and the West, China’s desire for more control over supply chains and its positioning in the Arctic,” said the assessment published in February. PST also stated that the intelligence threat from China was “significant.”